The present disclosure generally relates to energy management, and more particularly to energy management or demand supply management (DSM) of household consumer devices. The disclosure finds particular application in modifying or incorporating energy savings features and functions via a smart load switch that includes a built-in circuit that responds to incoming demand response signals from utilities to shed load and reduce operating costs for the homeowner. The concept will also find application with regard to various home devices such as window air conditioners, pool heaters, dehumidifiers, space heaters, water chillers, etc.
A number of companies are currently offering smart devices that are linked to a smart meter or to a home energy management (HEM) system which, in turn, is linked to the smart meter or linked to some other communication system. This allows the device to obtain data or inputs coming into a home area network from outside the home to trigger demand response events for the various devices. That is, utilities generally charge a flat rate but as fuel prices increase and there is an associated high energy usage during select parts of the day, utilities have become more sophisticated with regard to variable rates relating to the energy supplied to customers. Customers or homeowners may be charged a higher rate during peak demand when energy use is high and charged a lower rate when demand for energy is reduced. Consequently, operating a particular home device during the different rate periods can result in a substantial difference in energy cost to the homeowner.
Through use of smart systems, utilities are able to invoke demand response events that can, for example, adjust a thermostat set point based upon the ordering of a demand response event or based upon a specific tier price being announced. Such thermostat systems are typically used to control central heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Window air conditioner variants are currently being developed with integral smart systems that respond to similar aforementioned signals. Likewise, many companies are offering load switches that turn generic devices on or off (for example, those devices operating at 115 volts or 240 volts) based upon an incoming signal such as a demand response or a time of use schedule.
A need exists for a smart load switch or smart plug for a more sophisticated arrangement that can monitor specific control variables, for example room conditions, store data (for example, relating to set point conditions), receive input data from the measuring transducer, compare the data to the data stored in the memory and then selectively control power to a remote plug-in device.